In the beginning
by nominare
Summary: This story explores the beginning of Jane's and Maura's friendship as they work their first case together. It also lays the framework for their relationship to grow past friendship.
1. Chapter 1

Author's Note: The characters of Rizzoli & Isles belong to Tess Gerritsen and TNT. I am not profiting from this story.

This story is about Jane's and Maura's first case (the one I made up anyway.) I wanted to explore the beginning of the friendship and later have that build into something more. This is my first attempt at writing any type of fan fiction so reviews are appreciated!

**Chapter One**

"Dr. Isles?" Detective Rizzoli poked her head through the double doors leading into the morgue.

"Hello… Dr. Isles?"

Why was the morgue always so creepily lit?

_I can't see a damn thing!_

It was just one of the things that made coming down here to discuss cases with whichever M.E. had taken up residence at BPD so awful. Also, somehow it always smelled too clean – the astringents used to sterilize death felt caustic in her nose and lungs.

But something was different this time. The detective stood in the doorway studying the large room that had just been turned over to Dr. Maura Isles in the last week. She scanned the room from left to right, from closest to her to farthest away. She used this same tactic when looking over a crime scene to ensure that she didn't miss anything. She would then study the same scene in reverse to make sure she didn't miss anything important.

What was different?

Organized. Definitely more organized. Files had been moved and placed in perfect piles and she could see that they were in order first by case open date and then alphabetically by vic's names. Pen holders, the stapler, three-hole punch and other necessary desktop items were perfectly in line with each other from largest to smallest. This certainly was a turn from Dr. Witska who left things wherever he decided to stop his work to take a nap, and who could never find what he needed under piles of fast food wrappers and days old coffee cups.

Detective Rizzoli wasn't sad to see the 50-something year old M.E. leave and take with him his rumpled appearance and smell of formaldehyde.

What else?

The smell… yes. Somehow it seemed less offensive this time. Her nose didn't feel as though it was on fire. What was that? The detective's eyes closed as she inhaled deeply, allowing the calming and fruity smell to permeate her thoughts.

"Hello, Detective Rizzoli."

"Jesus Christ!" Detective Rizzoli yelled, jumping back and instinctively grabbing for the holster on her left hip that held her gun.

Dr. Isles looked equally surprised and offended by the detective's behavior. "I'm sorry… I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." Dr. Isles noticed the dilated pupils, taller stance, and heavier breathing of the detective as she responded in the classic fight-or-flight manner.

"You didn't scare me. I'm a _cop_. I don't scare." There was a definite edge to the detective's voice.

"It's nothing to be ashamed of detective; you are after all a _human_. And there's no reason for you to lie about it either. While I spend most of my time with expressionless dead people, I am a doctor nonetheless and therefore am studied in the response of the human anatomy to various environmental, biological, and psychological influences."

Detective Rizzoli wasn't used to being called out and wasn't sure how to respond initially. But as she had surmised that the doctor posed no threat, she decided not to take offense – or push the matter further.

"I… uh. I just came down here to see if you had finished your report on the double homicide from earlier this week."

"Oh. The Wallaces? Yes. I finished the autopsies yesterday and sent samples for analysis to the lab. I typed up my preliminary findings this morning before yoga… Detective? Why are you still standing in the door way?"

Dr. Isles had turned, expecting to see the detective walking in pace with her, but she was still a good 20 feet away at the doors to the morgue.

For the second time in a matter of minutes Dr. Isles had caught her off guard.

"Well… not that I really minded, considering his smell, but the last M.E. would have a fit if we entered past the doors of the morgue. He was always screaming about contaminating evidence."

"Oh." Dr. Isles cocked her head to the side slightly and squinted her eyes as though she was half in thought and half studying the detective.

"Well, I'm not the old M.E.. While it is true that I would expect anyone entering the morgue to don appropriate sterile attire during an actual autopsy, I see no reason you cannot enter the morgue as your walking through would be no different than what I am doing now." Dr. Isles gestured to herself and widely to the surroundings.

"Oh. OK. Thanks." The tall woman quickly closed the gap between them without losing her swagger. It came naturally, as an independent and confident woman who had also become quite accomplished in her male-dominated field.

"Also, detective, if you'll forgive me for staying side-tracked for a moment, I would like you to call me Maura when we're not in the field. We'll be working together a lot and I see no reason why we can't have a comfortable working relationship."

She had done it. Maura could sense the trembling in her voice and wondered if the astute detective had also sensed her nervousness. Maura had sworn that she would try to make a friend now that she was in a new city. While she wasn't adept at social interaction, she had learned enough through research and observation that offering to be called by a first name instead of a title indicated a welcome of informality, and eventually, closeness.

Besides, she trusted the detective. She saw her thoroughness in the field and that had garnered the doctor's respect. It didn't hurt either that when an officer on the scene was making lewd comments about her dress that the detective didn't bat an eye before giving him a thorough tongue lashing. (She still didn't understand why anyone would take offense at her wearing a dress and heels to a crime scene, as if her attire had any impact on her training and ability as a M.E.)

Detective Rizzoli walked straight up to the officer who was twice her size and had a hundred pounds on her and placed her face no more than six inches from his. Clearly inappropriate in normal social interaction, but her intent to intimidate was effective.

When the detective finally turned away Maura could have sworn she left the other officer in tears. He was definitely at a loss for words from that point on. She gave a look to Maura that said, "There's always one idiot in the crowd." If she hadn't known better she would have sworn that the detective even winked at her.

"OK." The detective shrugged, bringing Maura back to reality. Her posture did not indicate that she noticed the monumental task Maura had just completed. "Feel free to call me Jane."

Maura gathered the two case files and neatly put back together the stack of files on her desk. She held them out to Jane.

"Thanks, I'll read these right away and get back to you with any questions."

Jane's and Maura's hands both lingered on the case files for longer than was customary. Jane had been staring into Maura's eyes the entire time. What was the detective thinking? Was she still trying to size Maura up or was it something else?

Maura absorbed every feature of the detective. Her long, dark hair lay perfectly in waves around her face with no effort. Her soft, brown eyes, narrow nose, high cheek bones, square jaw, and her… her… lips… with….

Maura watched Jane leave the morgue and felt slightly abashed when she realized that not only was she watching, she was staring. And not only was she staring, but Jane _saw_ her staring once she turned in the elevator to hit the button for her floor.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

The noise from the detectives' bullpen assaulted the empty elevator and would have been startling to anyone but the detectives who made this their second home. Jane stepped out of the elevator and headed over to her desk that was pushed up against her partner's; Detective Barry Frost.

Frost had been promoted to detective about a year prior. He had become Jane's partner after she requested a new one due to a nasty case involving a serial killer and her old partner Detective Vince Korsak.

Korsak was close by though, his desk only 5 feet away and still facing Jane's. There wasn't a thing similar between the two partners.

Frost was in his late twenties, dark skinned with smoldering and thoughtful eyes and an athletic build. He was thoughtful and observant and spoke with intelligence, especially when anything to do with technology and computers interwove themselves into a case.

Korsak was in his fifties. He'd been a detective nearly as long as Frost had been alive. His gray hair, rotund abdomen, and constant teasing and cursing in front of and at the expense of Jane (and really every detective or beat cop) demonstrated his comfort with being the senior detective in their precinct.

Jane flopped down the two case files on John and Stephan Wallace. While the case had seemed pretty simple at first glance, Jane's gut was telling her that there was something more to it than a home invasion gone wrong.

Jane leaned back in her chair, folded her arms behind her head, and closed her eyes as she mentally walked back through the scene.

_John Wallace and his teenage son Stephan were discovered dead approximately two days after their death by the teenage boy who mowed their lawn. They lived in an upper middle-class neighborhood that hadn't seen a crime like this in… well, ever. _

_ The glass pane in the back door that led into the kitchen had been broken and the door unlocked from the inside. The house was thoroughly ransacked, wallets and jewelry were missing. Stephan was lying on his back; halfway on the couch, halfway slumped down to the floor. John was killed inside the master bedroom's closet. _

_ Something about the apparent home invasion gone wrong didn't sit right with Jane. She didn't know why, but her gut said to dig deeper. _

Jane was hoping that Dr. … eh-hem… Maura's autopsy would reveal more and fill in the piece that she felt was missing. Today's case would be the first that they worked on together. Jane still felt a little twinge of embarrassment for stopping Maura before she entered the scene, having assumed she was a nosy reporter instead of the new M.E.

When Jane had heard about the new M.E. from Korsak, she had pictured a woman in her mid-to-late thirties, short, squat, hair pulled back in a bun, glasses, and with a stick shoved firmly up her…. Jane cleared her throat at the thought.

Maura could not have been farther from the image Jane had conjured. Maura was impeccably dressed. She walked straight in with confidence and made eye contact that exuded a knowing presence. Her hair was long and a mixture of brown and blonde that Jane did not know existed, and it curled softly around her oval face. Her skin was flawless and a milky white that made her green eyes with gold flecks shine with a fire unlike any that Jane had seen.

Jane cleared her throat again and quickly sat up straight in her chair with feet placed firmly on the ground. She was allowing herself to get distracted with, of all things, how Maura looked in that black dress that stopped just above her knee and hugged…

Jane shook her head and grabbed the first of two case files. She quickly put it down and picked up the second one. She really hoped Maura's report would shed more light on the case.

No. Such. Luck. After sitting, reading, and re-reading Maura's reports Jane's head had started to ache. She had absolutely no idea what half of the words in the report meant and that frustrated her beyond measure.

In fact, Jane felt more frustrated than usual today. A new case was always an exhilarating time for her. Even though knowing that the case contained question marks aggravated her, she knew that she would figure it out as she always did. Then the sense of exhilaration would return, as she caught someone in a lie or scared a confession out of the guilty party.

But something was gnawing at her; something besides the case. Something besides realizing that the rumors about Maura being a genius were true if what she had just read was any indicator.

"Earth to Jane. Hello Detective?" Korsak was snapping his fingers in front of Jane's face.

"Huh? Hey! Don't do that Korsak! Ugh. You're lucky I haven't shot you yet."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah, in all the years I've known you Janie I think with your temper BPD is lucky you haven't shot any of its own."

Frost snorted a laugh but quickly returned to something on his computer screen after he saw the look on Jane's face that marked him as her first possible target.

"They _are_ lucky. And _don't_ call me Janie." Jane rolled her eyes. "Whaddya want anyway?"

"I'm hungry. Frost and I were discussing lunch and I asked you where you wanted to go. So… where do you want to go?"

Jane hadn't realized how hungry she was with all the distracting feelings of _frustration_. "Let's go to the diner on the corner. I want to get some fresh air and it's within walking distance."

After nods of assent from the other two detectives they gathered up their jackets and headed for the elevator.

Frost punched the button for the 1st floor exit to the street level. After a moment, Jane scowled and reached out in front of him hitting the "B" indicating the basement level that housed the employee parking garage and the morgue.

"I thought you said you wanted to walk…" Korsak looked confused.

"I do. I thought it would be nice if we invited Maura."

"Who?" The men asked in unison.

"The new M.E… Dr. Isles. She seems nice enough and she's new so I thought we should invite her."

Korsak and Frost looked at each other with confusion and then to Jane. Sure, Jane was a nice person, if you could see past the handcuffs, the gun, and the general look of skepticism she gave everyone; but to go out of her way to make someone feel welcome… well this was new territory entirely.

"Uh, sure. That would be nice. You want us to go ahead or meet you there?" Frost asked.

After Frost and Korsak got off on the first floor and the elevator doors shut, Jane got that frustrated feeling back.

_Shake it off, Rizzoli_ she thought to her self as she shoved her thumbs in her pockets attributing her jitters to her second trip to the morgue in one day.

The elevator doors opened to the morgue and Jane immediately noticed how bright it was. Every light must have been on. Really, Jane didn't even know that the morgue could be this well lit. Yet another nice change that accompanied the new M.E.

Maura noticed Jane immediately as she stepped off the elevator and they both smiled as their eyes met.

"Hi, Jane. Did you finish my report?"

"Hi, Maura. No, not yet. And trust me when I say that I have a lot of questions about it; but that's not why I'm here. Korsak, Frost and I were heading down to that diner on the corner and I… _we_ wanted to know if you'd like to join us."

Maura blushed. She couldn't believe it. She hadn't blushed in years. "That's very kind of you, Jane. I would love to go to lunch with you. Let me put my packed lunch back in the refrigerator and I'll meet you at the elevator."

"Umm… Maura?"

"Yes?"

"You don't… I mean… you don't keep your lunch in the dead people fridge, do you?"

Jane felt a little ill.

Maura placed her hand on Jane's forearm to comfort her, "Oh. Well, yes. I mean… Not while there are dead people in there. I'm just making do until the miniature refrigerator I ordered comes in on Tuesday. Then I promise, no more storing my food in there."

Jane looked seriously ill at the confirmation of her worst fear. "Um… Maura. That's gross. I mean really, dead people and food do not mix."

"Actually, since all dead things become food as they decompose into the earth and re-enter the ecosystem, from worms to grass to cattle to the hamburgers we eat; we could easily argue that dead people and food do mix." Maura mentally congratulated herself for using this simple line of logic to calm her new friend's irrational gestational upset.

"Um… Maura. That's even more gross. Listen, I know you're a walking encyclopedia and all, but how about no more talking about dead people and food in the same conversation. And to make it worth your while I'll take you out to lunch until your fridge comes. You're new to the city so it's a win-win for both of us. I don't lose my appetite, and you get to eat at the best restaurants that only true Bostonians know about."

"Oh… um… alright." Maura still wasn't sure what she said that was gross. It was fact. But she decided to forgo telling the detective that food was integral to her autopsies as it often aided with timelines and locations of victims.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

The walk to the diner was nice. The hot and sticky summer was starting to relinquish its grip. There was a gentle breeze, and it felt as though it was making every person, animal, and plant in the city sigh in relief.

Jane and Maura found Frost and Korsak in the back of the diner. It was the one table that allowed easy viewing of all the patrons and meant that their backs were not toward a door. Jane never sat with her back to a door. It made you vulnerable, and she considered vulnerability to be bad form.

"Hello, Detective Frost. Detective Korsak." Maura extended her hand to the two men, and they almost seemed confused as to what to do with it. They each shook Maura's hand, and Maura and Jane took their seats across from each other.

As the detectives had been to the diner a hundred times they didn't even bother looking at the menu. Maura it seemed was struggling with an internal dilemma.

"Uh, Dr. Isles, are you okay?" Frost looked genuinely concerned and Maura decided in that instant that she liked Jane's partner.

"Oh, yes, thank you for asking. It's just… well… is there anything on the menu that's less than a thousand calories or isn't fried?"

The detectives laughed. Maura did not understand the joke.

Korsak piped up, "I wouldn't worry about it too much, doc. It's good food, and sometimes that's more important."

"Obviously very important from the look of your chiseled physique," Frost murmured to himself sarcastically. Jane laughed. Korsak kicked at Frost under the table but hit Jane instead.

"Ow! Korsak! Dammit!" She was laughing more than grimacing, but Korsak knew he should settle down so that he would not indeed be shot by his former partner.

"Listen, Maura," it was Jane this time who rested her hand on Maura's forearm, "everything's good. Just don't eat it every day and keep up with yoga and you'll be fine. I suggest the chili cheeseburger any day of the week but it's a bit messy and I'm sure you don't want to mess up your beautiful dress. If you want something that resembles a fruit or vegetable then I suggest…" Jane eyed the menu in front of her.

"hmm… I suggest the carrot cake and apple pie." Jane looked at Maura and winked.

Maura realized she was being teased, but when it was accompanied by the smile on Jane's face, she didn't seem to mind.

The waitress came over and took their orders; three chili cheeseburgers, three orders of fries, three cokes and one chicken wrap with sparkling a.k.a. tap water.

The conversation was light and jovial. Maura enjoyed listening to how the detectives in front of her became police officers and then detectives, as well as some of their funnier antics from their time in the academy and on the job.

The lunch hour soon came to an end, though, and the foursome walked back to the precinct. On arriving, Jane asked Maura if she had time to review the case files on the Wallace homicide. Once Maura agreed, they both got on the down elevator.

In the elevator, Jane mused that she had spent more time in the morgue today than she had all year. What's more was the strange feeling that she was actually looking forward to it.

But a third trip was not to be. As the doors were about to close, her phone rang.

"Rizzoli." Jane snapped as she got off the elevator before losing signal, mouthing "I'll be down in a minute" to the doctor she abandoned on the elevator. It was Jane's mother, Angela.

"Janie!" Her mother's voice was almost as raspy as Jane's but had a little more of a squeak to it, especially when she was excited or when she said 'Janie'.

"Hey, Ma." Jane automatically rolled her eyes at hearing the pet name.

"Don't roll your eyes at me Jane Rizzoli. I named you and I can call you Janie if I want."

Jane couldn't stop herself from looking around to see if Angela was watching her. How did she always manage to do that?

"Because I'm a mother and a mother knows when her children are rolling their eyes," Angela responded to the silence.

"That's creepy, ma. Stop it. Why did you call anyway; I'm working a case."

"Don't rush me off the phone, Jane Rizzoli. You're always working a case. It's your job. I just wanted to know if you're coming over for dinner on Sunday."

"Ma, unless I'm on call, I always come over for Sunday dinners. What's up? What's going… wait. Forget 'what', _who _did you invite to dinner?"

As it turned out, Jane got her intuition from somewhere, and while both Rizzoli women would absolutely hate to be called predictable, they had each other figured out after Jane's 35 years.

"I don't know what you're talking about Jane. Why can't a mother check in with her only daughter to see if she's coming over for dinner? You know how much I love cooking for you and Frankie, two of the city's finest… and… Tommy if he were here…"

Angela's voice trailed off. Full Angela Rizzoli guilt had been laid out. Tommy was in prison and her other two children, Frankie and Jane, were both on the force and therefore always in danger. Consequently Jane and Frankie were not only to be at every Sunday dinner when not working, but also at the mercy of their mother's guilt trips for making her worry so much.

"Nice try, ma. I know you're up to something, but either way I'll be at dinner on Sunday. How long I'm there will depend on who you've invited, but you get the benefit of the doubt for now. I'll call you later, Frost needs me. Love you."

Jane practically hung up on her mother as Frost was of course nowhere near her. She got back on the elevator thoroughly distracted and frustrated. Again. She hit the 3 button and headed back to her desk.

It was 4:45 before Jane realized that she never made it down to the morgue.

_Dammit!_

Jane picked up the phone and dialed Maura's extension.

"Dr. Isles."

"Hey, it's Jane. I'm so sorry I haven't made it down there yet. My mother called then something came up. I'm really sorry. I don't want to come down now and make you work late so how about I swing down there tomorrow around eleven and then we can go to lunch afterward?"

Frost and Korsak shot each other an arched eyebrow look that said, "Lunch, again? Two days in a row?" Jane didn't even do that with Frost and Korsak. And was that a sense of true remorse in Jane's voice for not coming through on something?

"Oh… it's okay, Jane. I understand. It has been a long day and I am looking forward to getting home to Bass. Eleven tomorrow it is."

When they hung up the phone, Jane couldn't stop herself from wondering, _Who the hell is Bass?_


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Listen, Maura, it doesn't matter how many times you say it, I still have no idea what the hell you're trying to tell me."

Jane was feeling frustrated with her lack of understanding and even more with her new friend's inability to put all of the medical jargon into layman's terms. They had spent 45 minutes going over the Wallace files, and Jane didn't feel as though she had gotten any answers to her questions.

"Jane, I'm not going to dumb down my reports. It's important that they are accurate and that can only be done if the appropriate terminology is used."

"I get that, Maura, but… wait a minute. Did you just call me dumb?" Jane looked at the doctor incredulously and chuckled a bit.

"That's not what I meant, Jane. Of course you're unfamiliar with the medical terminology used, but that does not mean you're dumb, or more importantly, incapable of learning what the terms mean. I've tried hard to learn your phrases, like perp, vic, and what did you say to Frost the other day?"

Maura looked up at the ceiling for a moment as if that was where the answer lay. "You said, 'I'm going to kick your ass so hard your grandchildren are going to feel it'. Really! Now that's something that doesn't make sense. Frost doesn't have grandchildren, let alone children of his own, and it is impossible to pass on physical pain inflicted on one individual to another. Though there are studies that show that when one sympathizes with another who is in pain that our own remorse can have physical implications, even painful ones."

"It's a figure of speech, Maura." Jane groaned. "Listen; tell me again without using any medical terminology or pathological terminology or scientific terminology what happened to the Wallaces." Jane was peering pleadingly into Maura's eyes and holding her hands in her own.

"OK." Maura was experiencing a brief moment of absent-mindedness. She shook her head and thought a moment longer and then spoke slowly and deliberately.

"There is DNA under Stephan's fingers that belongs to someone we have not identified, but who is male, and when you take that into account with the fact that a couple of his nails are broken, it appears as though he fought back before being shot in the stomach at close range. Even though the gun shot to John Wallace's head was also inflicted at close range, his body does not exhibit any signs of defensive actions."

"OK. OK. So Stephan fought back, but his dad, John, didn't?" Jane asked.

"Yes."

"THANK YOU! Oh my god. Thank you, Maura. That's perfect. Just what I needed to know." Jane hugged and quickly released her.

Maura had suddenly regained some confidence even though she was speaking about something clinical in informal terms.

"Also, Jane, Stephan had multiple fractures throughout his young life. The findings are congruent with abuse."

"So Stephan's dad was an asshole and beat the hell out of his son?" Jane's face suddenly became hard.

"That's conjecture Jane. I have no way of knowing definitively how Stephan received those injuries or if they resulted directly from his father. I can only analyze and disseminate the facts as they present themselves."

Jane entered deep thought for a moment. This allowed Maura to study her more closely. Maura quickly catalogued Jane's actions: chewing on her right thumb when thinking hard about something, starting to pace when she had a thought that could send her in a conclusive direction.

"OK – so let's assume…"

"I don't like to assume, Jane. It's the same thing as conjecture …"

"I know. I'm really just thinking out loud. Aren't you the one who said you wanted to know how I do my job?" Jane winked at Maura, and suddenly she didn't seem to mind the assumption tactic.

"Anyway, the neighbors said that they heard some arguing the night of the murder. I'll bet they know if John was abusing Stephan. But why did they not hear gun shots? … I know it's a sleepy neighborhood and all but I have a hard time imagining that they could hear arguing and sleep through gun fire. A silencer must have been used. Hmmm…. I guess that could explain the father and son not trying to defend each other… Orrrr…" Jane broke off and started pacing again. Jane shook her head and mumbled something to herself. "We need to go back and ask some more questions of the neighbors. They're nosier than they let on."

Jane looked at her watch. "C'mon. I'm hungry. How about I tell Frost to go back to the scene and interview the closest neighbors again. I'll bet after thinking about it for a day or two they'll have more dirt that they want to share. I'll meet you in the garage. I'm taking you somewhere a little farther for lunch today. Do you want me to drive?"

"I don't mind driving Jane. I'll clear things up here and meet you in the garage near the exit in my car."

"OK, see you in a few." Jane trotted out of Maura's office and through the morgue, and Maura caught herself getting up out of the chair to watch her go - again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

_Holy crap!_ Jane let out a low whistle when she realized that it was Maura behind the wheel of the Mercedes SL550 Roadster. It was a beautiful, deep red color.

Maura smirked as she saw Jane approaching, looking down into the vehicle still deciding how to take it all in. Maura looked breathtaking in it, and she knew that when she bought the luxury vehicle earlier in the year.

Maura unlocked the passenger side door, and despite Jane's tall stature she sat gracefully in the bucket seat.

"Ready?"

"Yes." Jane was still staring at Maura as she sped out of the below ground parking garage. "Maura? I know this is a stupid question, but do you realize what you're driving right now? This is a Mercedes SL550 Roadster; the engine in this car is supposed to be incredible…"

"382 horsepower at 6,000 rpm's and 0-60 5.3 seconds," Maura cut her off. "I'm impressed Jane; you know your luxury vehicles. Yes, I know what car I'm driving. I did thorough research before picking a vehicle for its specifications and options. I actually know quite a bit about motor vehicles. It's just one of the things that I'm well versed in. Although I'll admit I picked the red color because I thought I looked… attractive in it."

"You do…" Jane looked out her window nervously.

"Thank you, Jane. I appreciate the compliment."

Jane sat a little more upright after the reassurance. "Turn right up ahead. You're going to love the place I picked out for us, and lunch is on me today."

After several turns through smaller neighborhoods, Jane and Maura finally reached their destination. A small Italian bistro was nestled between family owned shops.

As they got out of the car and approached the restaurant, Jane explained, "My cousin owns the place. She's an amazing chef. She lived in Italy for a long time after culinary school working with the country's best chefs and has added to our own family's recipes. Also, she's a 'slow food' kind of chef; uses all organic ingredients and has a lot of healthy options on the menu that don't taste like cardboard."

Maura stopped in her tracks.

"What is it? Did I say something wrong?" Jane looked thoroughly worried that she had picked some place terrible.

"I can't believe you'd be that considerate, Jane. Thank you."

Jane looked nervously at the ground. "Well, I know yesterday at the diner you were concerned about the healthiness of the food, so I thought I would make it up to you." Jane met Maura's gaze, "Though as a friend can I tell you that you really don't need to worry about those things, you look fantastic."

"Thank you," was all that Maura was able to get out.

"C'mon. I'm starved and I can hear your stomach from here."

"Do you know why your stomach cramps and makes noises when you're hungry, Jane? It's really very interesting. You see food affects all of the five senses and…"

Maura regaled Jane with talks of the physiology of appetite and digestion for a good 30 minutes before Jane's cousin Antonia came over to the table.

"Janie!" Antonia boomed. She was considerably shorter than Jane at just a little over 5 feet tall, but shared Jane's olive skin and deep brown eyes, and of course the classic Boston accent.

"Hey, Antonia." Jane jumped up from the table and gave her cousin a hug. "Antonia, I'd like you to meet Dr. Maura Isles. She's our new M.E. Since she's new to Boston, I decided I had to take her to the best restaurants in the city before she was scarred by all the chains."

"And we both know I'm the best chef in this city!" It was a confident, not cocky, statement laced with humor and reinforced by the James Beard award along with many others on the restaurant's walls.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Dr. Isles. I hope you've been enjoying your lunch?"

"The pleasure is mine Antonia. Please call me Maura. The food has been exquisite. The antipasto and eggplant parmesan are the best I've ever had."

"I like her." Antonia said while elbowing Jane in the ribs.

"So, anyway…" Jane suddenly seemed nervous, "are you coming to Ma's this Sunday for dinner?"

The two continued to chat as Antonia pulled up a chair. How was it that anytime Jane had conversations with others that Maura not only minded not saying much - which she recognized as not in her character – but also felt completely included in the conversation even though she hardly knew the person being spoken to? Jane had a remarkable ability to pull her into conversations with people she was intimately familiar with without making Maura feel like she was intruding in the least.

Maura noted that lunch lasted much longer than the hour customarily observed but didn't mind the rule breaking as much today. As the lunch ended, Antonia took the check from the server's hands and said, "Na-uh. No way. This meal's on me. I'll take care of the gratuity as well. Consider my payment the pleasure of your company." Jane only tried swiping for the check once.

"Maura, it was such a pleasure to meet you. Any friend of Janie's is a friend of mine and I look forward to seeing you again." Antonia gave Jane a fleeting, meaningful glance.

As Maura and Jane walked back to the car, Jane said, "See, I told you I didn't mind paying for lunch today. Antonia never lets me pay. Don't worry though, I don't take advantage and make sure to keep a mental checklist and spend extra on her at Christmas; usually something for the restaurant or her personal kitchen."

Maura laughed. "That's very considerate of you, Jane. Families often don't mind taking advantage of their members' generosity."

Jane and Maura returned to the station and after parking the car they both sat still for a moment. Maura was thinking about the extra long lunch and figuring out how late she would need to work tonight to make up for the time away. It was Friday, sure, but the only plans she had were to try out the sushi restaurant near her newly purchased home, and that could wait for another evening.

Jane turned to her, interrupting her thoughts. "Well? How was lunch?" Jane smirked. Maura hadn't yet figured out what that smirk meant but she was willing to do more research on it.

"It was absolutely delicious, Jane. Thank you so much for taking me. I'm not sure I would have found that place on my own. Your cousin is also delightful."

"She's my favorite; just don't tell the other cousins I said that." Jane smiled and then started to fidget with her badge. Maura wondered if it was another figure of speech or if she would at some point meet Jane's other cousins.

"Hey, Maura. I don't know what your plans are for the weekend, and please don't feel like you have to say yes or anything, but every Sunday my ma and her sisters make this big dinner and any family that's available shows up and we just eat and watch whatever sporting event is on TV. I know you're new to the city… I mean… I'm sure you have plans… but if you don't have plans… I mean, I'd be more than happy to bring you with… or… give you the address… and there's always plenty of food… and ma always loves it when we bring people so that she can show off her cooking skills… and if you liked my cousin's food… well, she's got nothing on ma… and well, it won't be as healthy but I'll promise to have you home in time to sleep off the food coma in plenty of time to go to yoga Monday morning."

Maura's face flushed at her new friend's nervousness. Why was she so nervous? It was just dinner…

"Oh, Jane, I'd love to! If the rest of your family is anything like Antonia, I'm sure I'll have a lovely time and enjoy the food even more!"

Was that sheer and genuine excitement? Jane wasn't sure, but she'd take it.

Maura scribbled something down on the notepad she always carried with her.

"These are my cellular and home telephone numbers along with my address. How about you pick me up so I don't have to worry about getting lost?"

"Great. Yeah, that's great. OK – here's my card with cell number on the back and I'll pick you up around 4 o'clock. Sound okay?"

"Sounds great." Maura checked her watch. "I really have to get through some paperwork this afternoon. How about we catch up on the Wallace case on Monday since it sounds like Detective Frost won't be back before the end of the day, and I'll see you Sunday afternoon?"

"Sounds good, Maur."

Maura walked with Jane as far as the elevator before turning left through the key-card locked back doors to the morgue. She placed her hands to her face and thoughtfully recited off:

_Zygomaticus major and minor…Orbicularis oculi…Levator labii superioris…Levator anguli oris…Risorius… _

_They were all straining harder than they ever had before… she was in fact…_

_smiling… _

_a lot. _


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Maura glanced down at her Cartier watch and confirmed that she had been standing, naked, in front of her open wardrobe for exactly 27 minutes now. For the first time in her life, she had no idea what to wear.

_I knew I should have gone shopping,_ she thought ruefully.

While Friday night and Saturday had passed without a hint of nervousness, the realization that Maura would soon be in a room full of people she did not know for a social gathering had hit her full on around noon time.

Maura looked at her watch again. She had only 20 more minutes until Jane arrived to pick her up to bring her to dinner with Jane's family. She looked over her shoulder at the pile of outfits on her king sized bed. None of them would do.

"_Dr. Maura Isles"_ Maura said to herself firmly, _"pick a damn outfit!"_ With one last glance through her sizable closet Maura finally decided on a deep blue silk blouse tucked into her charcoal grey pencil skirt that went from just under her bosom to just above her knees, a thick, black belt, and matching blue heels that added three inches to her petite frame.

Maura had just finished dressing and grabbing a bottle of vintage red wine from her small cellar beside the pantry when the door bell rang.

"Hi, Maur… wow. You look great!" Jane was not subtle when she looked the doctor over from head to toe.

"Thank you, Jane. You look… comfortable." Maura tilted her head to the side just enough to be noticeable when she made her statement.

"Hey! Don't say _comfortable_ like that. It's my family; I can wear whatever I want!" Jane laughed a little before adding, "You ready?"

Maura took a deep breath and responded, "Yes."

"And you should know that this is dressed up for me. My jeans don't even have any holes in them and this is a new shirt." Jane eyed the doctor encouragingly.

The fact of the matter was that Jane did look nice. She wore a dark wash pair of boot cut jeans with black work boots and a deep purple, button up dress shirt, with three-quarter length sleeves. Her hair fell over her shoulders, and the outfit was complimentary to her athletic frame and olive skin.

When Jane parked in front of her parents' house, the revelry could be heard inside the car. As Jane moved to exit the vehicle, Maura grasped her forearm pulling her back inside the vehicle.

"Maura? What's wrong?"

"Jane, I feel that it's important for you to know that I'm… well, I'm a bit socially awkward. I always seem to say the wrong thing, especially when I'm nervous, and well, I don't want to embarrass you since you've been kind enough to bring me here as your guest today." Maura fidgeted with the oversize ring on her left middle finger.

"Hey, hey… whoa… don't get upset… it's okay." Jane placed her hand on Maura's shoulder sensing she was about to cry.

"Can I let you in on a little secret?" Jane's voice was as low as her stare was intense.

"Mm-hmm." Maura looked up at her, eyes pleading for relief from this vulnerability in front of her new friend.

"Well, what you should know is that I'm ten times more worried about my family embarrassing me than you embarrassing me. These people have known me my entire life and have all sorts of dirty laundry on me. I'll bet ma will be pulling out my naked baby pictures within the first hour of us being here. Besides, we're all northern Italians… you're not going to have a chance to get a word in edgewise even if you screamed over the crowd." Jane smiled at Maura and Maura could not help but giggle at Jane's revelation.

"Here's what we'll do. I'll stay by your side… the entire time. If you turn into a walking, talking encyclopedia, who cares? If they say anything rude it just means that they're jealous of that big brain of yours… and I'll punch them in the arm for you."

"Oh, Jane. Please don't hit anyone… but, thank you. You truly are a wonderful friend."

Jane squeezed Maura's shoulder. "No problem, sweetie. Now come on, we better get inside before ma sees my car and sends out a search and rescue team to come and get us."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

Jane gave Maura one last reassuring look as she turned the handle to her parents' front door. Maura was simultaneously overwhelmed and comforted by everything that registered with her senses…

First her visual receptors awakened with the activity before her. There were easily thirty people packed into the humble three-bedroom home. Everyone seemed to be moving individually, yet there was definitely cohesion present - Maura would later compare it to a very complicated ballet that she was a part of as a teenager – cohesion and cohabitation that developed over time as the people here learned their part in the beautiful choreography of family.

Next her auditory receptors kicked in as shouts at the Red Sox on the television, gossiping women, and children played all around her. It was loud but not obnoxious.

Her olfactory system had never been so pleased. Maura would quickly need to know what that warm and heavenly scent was that filled her lungs and permeated her core.

She took it all in so quickly that the first coherent thought that registered in her mind was: home.

"Ma! I'm home!" Jane called out to her mother.

"In the kitchen, Janie!"

Jane guided Maura through the small dining room and into the kitchen through a creaking swing door.

"Janie!"

"Hi ma!"

Angela quickly crossed the room and embraced Jane fully as though she hadn't seen her daughter in twenty years. "Jane, did you iron your shirt or just pick it up off the floor where it lay?" Angela was rolling her eyes and raising her arms up exaggeratedly.

"Ma! Be nice; it's just going to get wrinkled anyway."

"Don't you sass me, Jane Rizzoli. What happens if you meet a handsome man and you're looking like that?"

"Really. Thanks, ma. Please stop, you're killing me with compliments; my head's not going to be able to fit through the door."

"Jane, I just want what's best for… oh. Hello."

"Aww, jeeze. Sorry. Ma, this is Dr. Maura Isles; she's the new M.E. for BPD."

"It's so nice to meet you Mrs. Rizzoli." Maura hadn't even blinked before her outstretched hand was crumpled between her and the elder Rizzoli woman. It was the longest and tightest hug she had ever received.

"Welcome, doctor! And call me Angela, ok?" Angela exuded warmth from every pore.

"Thank you. Uh, please call me Maura. This is for you. It's a vintage Pinot Noir. I've heard it pairs excellently with gnocchi, although from the smell that's emitting from your kitchen I dare say it may pale in comparison."

"I like this girl, Janie. Maura, you come over whenever you want to, okay dear? Don't even worry if Jane's here or not…"

As Angela turned to place the bottle of wine on the counter and stir her famous red sauce, Jane leaned over and whispered into Maura's ear, "I thought you said that you were bad at this stuff?" Maura couldn't stop smiling.

"Janie!" The voice that boomed behind Maura and Jane was that of Frank Rizzoli, Jane's father.

"Hi, daddy!" The two embraced.

"Hello, sweetheart… Who's this?"

"Dr. Maura Isles, my father Frank Rizzoli. Dad, Maura is the new M.E. assigned to us."

"Nice to meet you, Maura." Yelling erupted from the living room.

"Oh, gotta go!" Before jetting out with his fresh beer, Frank paused for a second and whispered into Jane's ear, "_A doctor, Janie? Good job!"_ He kissed her cheek and continued running back to the TV and baseball game.

"Daddy!"

"Come help me and your aunts with dinner, Janie, and stop yelling through the house."

* * *

><p>Dinner was more than Maura could have ever conjured in her mind. The food was delicious, the atmosphere warm and welcoming. Maura had met all of the people there although she wasn't sure she could remember everyone she met, as it seemed halfway through dinner one set of relatives left only to be replaced by more Rizzolis.<p>

Maura was quite proud of herself. She had been pleasant, asking more questions than spewing facts, and only rambled a little about the origins of pasta, trigonometry's importance in baseball, and a few other inconsequential items.

As more and more people started to filter out however, Angela seemed to be paying attention to the clock more and more. Was she eager to have her home returned to her?

"Ma," Jane approached her mother with the last dirty dish, "I should really get Maura back home. She goes to yoga early every morning and I know she'll need a lot of sleep after all of this stimulation."

"What? You can't leave Jane. Joe hasn't gotten here yet…"

Angela immediately recognized her mistake.

"Ma? Joe? JOE GRANT? Why is Joe Grant coming over and why do I need to stay around for him?"

"Don't yell at me Janie. Frankie was going to bring Joe over after they both finished their shift tonight."

"I'm outta here. Maura? It's time to go."

"Oh, Jane, please don't feel as though you have to rush… I don't want you to miss seeing a friend. It's okay if I miss yoga one morning."

"See, Janie. He should be here any minute…" Angela was slowly trying to place herself between Jane and the front door.

"Ma, are you kidding me? No way. That ass has been an ass since he was seven and I'm not staying here to be reminded of that fact."

Jane grabbed Maura by the arm practically dragging her out of the living room.

"It was so nice to meet you and your family, Mrs… Angela. I look forward to seeing you again soon. Jane!"

Jane was pulling Maura out of the living room and smack into Joe Grant.

"Hello Janie." Joe smiled awkwardly as Jane landed chest to chest, face to face with the officer.

"Goodbye, Joe!"

* * *

><p>Jane sped back towards Maura's home.<p>

"I'm sorry about that. I guess the trade off for no naked baby pictures was getting set up with a slime ball."

"Oh, Jane, is he really that bad? He seemed… cute. And I think he likes you… at least he thinks you're attractive; he was staring at your butt when you walked away."

The two women laughed.

"Please do not say that in front of my mother. Ugh. I'm only sorry that you didn't get to meet Frankie. Next time though."

"Next time?"

"Well, yeah. Dinner is every Sunday, so whenever you feel like losing yourself in utter chaos," Jane was chuckling to herself, "just let me know and you've got a seat at the table waiting for you."

Jane seemed to pause in thought for a moment. "And, if you want… you can invite your boyfriend to the next one… if you want…"

Jane was staring ahead, a little too intently on the road.

"Boyfriend?" Maura was thoroughly confused.

"Yeah, Bass is his name, right?"

Maura couldn't help but laugh… a lot. It took her a minute to regain her composure.

"Oh. Eh-hem. I'm sorry Jane, I wasn't laughing at you; it's just that, well, Bass isn't my boyfriend. He's my tortoise. An African Spurred Tortoise to be exact. He was named after William Bass, the forensic anthropologist who founded the University of Tennessee Anthropological Research Facility, more commonly known as the Body Farm as its primary purpose is to study the affects of decomposition on human remains. He is to be credited with many advances that allow me to do my job effectively; as such I thought it only fitting to give him tribute by naming my pet after him."

"You have a pet… turtle?"

"No… mm-mm, a tortoise. While both turtles and tortoises are reptiles, there are key differences. I suppose the most evident is that turtles spend most of their time in the water while tortoises are primarily land dwellers."

"Umm… okay but still, a reptile for a pet? You know what, never mind." Jane pulled into Maura's driveway.

"Thanks for coming tonight, Maura. I hope you had a good time."

"I did, Jane. Your family is wonderful."

The two women lingered for a moment looking into each other's eyes.

"Well, I should go get some sleep. Yoga is bright and early."

"Yeah, yeah of course. I'll see you tomorrow."

Maura placed her hand on top of Jane's. "Tomorrow." She gave Jane's hand a squeeze.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note<strong>: I try to do research here and there to make sure that facts presented as facts from the lovely Dr. Isles are as accurate as possible. I'll try to keep a balance between honoring her character and realizing that I'm not making a profit from this so I won't be spending hours of research for one statement.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight **

'Hey, Jane." Frost came bounding into the detective's bullpen as Jane was finishing her morning's first cup of coffee.

"I went back and had a chat with some of the Wallace's neighbors Friday afternoon. Turns out, they did observe more from the house than they let on."

"Yeah? Anything we can use?" Jane was finally feeling the full affect of the caffeine after a sleepless night. She was having nightmares again. Jane shook her head at the memory and refocused on Frost.

"I think so. Marta Hernandez has lived next to John and Stephan since shortly after Abigail, John's wife and Stephan's mother, died eight years ago. She finally said that while she never saw John hit Stephan that Stephan often left the house with bruises, and she said that he had a broken arm on two separate occasions. She also said that Stephan was real skittish every time she tried to ask him if everything was okay."

Jane started to gnaw on her right thumb. "OK – well, that helps make the abuse theory stick, but it still doesn't tell us who broke into the house."

"Ah, but there's more. When I was leaving, I ran into Marta's son Jaime coming home from school. He told me that Stephan's girlfriend Kaye had gotten into a fight with John a few days before the break in. He accused her of stealing some money from the house."

"OK – so let's run her info and…"

"Already did. Kaye Becket has a long juvenile report, shop lifting, possession, and even a domestic case where she got into a scuffle with her parents; _but_ she hasn't been in trouble in nearly six months and just got off of probation early because of her good behavior."

"Maybe six months was long enough. Let's go and talk to her. Does she go to school with Stephan?"

"Yeah, I called the principal to give her a heads up we'd be swinging by the campus to talk with her."

"Good job, Frost. Did the neighbors give anything else up?"

"No, but Korsak is still taking a closer look at John to see if there was anyone who might have had a reason to come after him."

"Good. Alright, well let's get going and maybe we can make it back by lunch."

"Got plans, Jane?" Frost tried to ask innocently but he couldn't hide the implication.

"Don't you worry about my lunch plans, Frost. Let's go."

* * *

><p>When Jane and Frost arrived at Stephan's high school, they found Principal Stone waiting for them.<p>

"Hello, Detectives." Nancy Stone held out her hand.

"Principal Stone; thank you for your assistance today. How would you describe Stephan Wallace?" Jane asked.

"Good kid. Quiet, but respectful. Decent grades, too. Never any problems from him."

"Was Stephan close to anyone in particular?"

"Kaye Becket. Although I had to break up an argument in the lunch room between the two of them the day that… eh-hem." The principal cleared her throat.

"The day that Stephan and John were killed?" Jane and Frost eyed each other meaningfully. "Has Kaye been in any other trouble recently?"

"I'm assuming you've already reviewed Kaye's record, so I feel it's important to tell you that she is a changed girl. Yes, she and Stephan got into a fight, but they're teenagers; it's bound to happen once and a while. I stand by the fact that Stephan and Kaye were good for each other. They balanced each other out. Kaye defended Stephan from bullies, and Stephan was always able to calm Kaye down before she got into any trouble at school. Both of their grades started to improve after meeting. They were inseparable."

Principal Stone was walking the detectives through crowded halls of rowdy teenagers.

"So, they were dating for how long?" Frost asked.

"Dating? Who was dating?" The principal looked confused.

"Umm, Stephan and Kaye," Jane stated unsure of the sudden change in composure.

"Oh my goodness! I'm sorry, Kaye and Stephan? No. They were best friends yes, but no, oh my goodness no. They were not romantically involved."

Jane and Frost had not noticed the sign on the door of the biology classroom that contained a gathering of about twenty-five students.

"I'm sorry; I don't think I understand, principal." Frost was getting irritated.

"Kaye and Stephan are gay. Outcasts individually, but together carrying each other through rough times. They started our school's Gay Straight Alliance." Principal Stone gestured to the sign on the door.

_Gay Straight Alliance_

_Mondays 8am _

"_In the End, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." – Martin Luther King Jr. _

"It's been so good for the members and the school that we've given them permission to use this as their homeroom time. Many of the students can't stay after school because their parents would ask questions and they're not out yet. You have no idea… oh!"

"Oh, I'm so sorry principal; I was trying to make the bell."

"It's okay, Aadyn. This is Detective Rizzoli and Detective Frost. They're investigating Stephan's and his father's deaths."

"I thought that was a break-in…" Aadyn looked as though he might cry at any moment from the mention of Stephan's memory.

"It's still a homicide. Don't worry, we'll find who did this." Jane placed a reassuring hand on Aadyn's shoulder.

"Aadyn, the detectives want to speak with Kaye. Will you get her for me?"

Within a moment a young girl appeared. Jane quickly understood why she could be counted on as Stephan's defender. She was tall and athletic, bigger than Stephan, and had an icy stare that could intimidate most of the criminals Jane had put behind bars.

"Yes?" Kaye looked at the detectives skeptically.

"Hi, I'm Detective Rizzoli and this is my partner Detective Frost. We'd like to ask you a few questions."

"Umm… okay."

The trio found a picnic table outside and sat down.

"You were good friends with Stephan, yes?"

Kaye started to tear up. "Yes… yes. He was my best friend. I can't believe this has happened to him. I just don't understand... I still expect to see him coming around the corner to school and… " Kaye stifled a tear.

"Kaye," Jane began gently, "do you know of anyone who would want to hurt Stephan?"

"Stephan? No, no I don't think so. I mean, yes he had bullies like most of us in the GSA, but a lot of that lessened as the club got more backing from the teachers, and now we have more straight than gay members."

"What did you know about the relationship with his dad?"

"That douche bag? I always knew John was an asshole who beat up Stephan whenever he could, but Stephan would never admit to it. He hated Stephan. Especially when Stephan told his dad he was gay."

Kaye was sobbing at this point.

"Shh, shh… it's okay." Jane took the girl's hand between both of hers and held it for several minutes until she calmed down. Frost was still amazed at Jane's ability to connect with the girl, knowing it could lead to trust and possibly the admission of a home invasion gone wrong.

"You've met John before?" Jane asked.

"A couple of times. I think at first when Stephan started bringing a girl over he thought Stephan was just going through a phase or something. But then he found out I was gay too and forbid me from coming over."

"Did you argue about anything else?"

"No… No, not really. Like I said, he was a jerk."

Kaye started to fidget with the headphones to her iPhone 4.

"That's a nice phone; pretty expensive. Did your parents get it for you?" Frost was eyeing the phone in Kaye's hands.

"Huh? Oh, no. I saved up for it on my own."

"Wow, that's a pretty big feat. They're not cheap." Frost stated.

"Listen, I really have to get back before first period starts." Kaye nervously stood up from the picnic table.

"Just one more question, Kaye." Jane placed herself between the girl and the steps leading up to the school's main hall.

"What did you and Stephan's dad fight about two days before the break in?" Jane looked down at Kaye's phone.

"What? No way. No way! Ugh. You're just like all other cops. You see a rap sheet and that's all you see. He only accused me of stealing because I said I wouldn't stop hanging out with Stephan and he knew I was up for probation review."

Frost stepped in now. "We heard you argued with Stephan too. The day he was killed… I'm thinking he knew that you stole from his dad and confronted you for it. And then you got mad, decided to confront them both; or maybe steal more since the deed was already done, and then you got caught. Things got out of hand…" Frost was leaning in closer and closer to Kaye.

Kaye slammed her fists down on the picnic table. "I would never steal from Stephan's family no matter how much I hated his dad!"

Kaye started to cry again. "My best friend is dead. I loved Stephan; he was my everything and helped me so much. Stephan and I got into a fight over where to go out that night. He called me bossy and was mad because he said that I always picked what we did on weekends. He was right but I really wanted to see a movie. It was such a dumb thing to argue about and now I never get to take it back. I went to the movies alone that night, and went to my girlfriend's afterwards."

Jane and Frost looked at each other still not sure whether or not to take the girl for her word.

"You can ask my girlfriend!" Kaye started yelling. "And all of the people who saw me at the movie theater. I would never hurt Stephan!"

Kaye stared at the ground for a long time before saying, almost inaudibly, "You know what really happened that night I got into a fight with my parents?

"I finally told them I was gay and they blew up. Saying _no way_ were they going to have a _dyke_ for a daughter. They locked me in my room and called over our preacher. Once he heard all about my 'evil' nature he told my parents to hold me down in a chair while he prayed over my soul; screaming for the devil to come out of me. I was so scared. I could feel my shoulders dislocating from my parents holding me down. The neighbors heard the screams and called the cops, but before they got there I managed to wiggle free, but not without my elbow making contact with my mom's nose."

Kaye was pacing back and forth; her motions churning both Jane's and Frost's stomachs.

Kaye had found her voice again and was screaming.

"All that those cops saw was a woman with a bloody nose and a punk girl with a shaved head! Once the preacher said that he came over because of a family issue and that I elbowed my mom's face it was all over. I haven't been back since. I've been floating around from house to house sleeping on couches. No one cared about my side of the story. Not the cops, not the judge, not my probation officer. I stole food because I was hungry and I smoked pot to… to… to forget about the look on my parents faces when I came out."

Kaye fell in a crumpled heap onto the first step.

Jane rushed over to her and held the girl despite Kaye's efforts to throw her off. "_I believe you. I believe you. Shh… we're sorry."_


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter Nine**

"I just felt so bad for her, Maura."

Jane and Maura were having lunch in a hole-in-the-wall sandwich shop not far from the station. Jane was having a hard time eating her meal.

"I just can't imagine my parents reacting like that to anything. Sure we were Catholic, religious enough, attended Mass regularly; but I just can't imagine them reacting so… so… And now, she doesn't have anyone. Her parents haven't tried to find her or bring her back home. She's not in the DCF system so no one is taking care of her except her. Poor kid. She's done so much to get back on track. She must be really scared under all the toughness. Reminds me of…" Jane was momentarily lost in thought.

Maura placed a hand on Jane's forearm. "I imagine it must have been very difficult, Jane. I don't know how you do it."

"Do what?"

"Approach everyone as if they're a suspect, only letting them in far enough to get the information that you need for the case. Then not allow yourself to feel guilty when you find out you've interrogated someone innocent."

"Who said I don't feel guilty?" Jane withdrew her arm from Maura's grasp at the statement.

"Oh, I'm sorry Jane. I didn't mean…"

"You think that it's easy going through people's dirty laundry… or… or… interviewing a grieving widow? You think I like it when I'm fooled by someone who actually committed murder which means I have to treat everyone with the same skepticism? I can't believe… "

Jane's phone rang. It was Frost.

"Rizzoli."

"Jane, Kaye's alibi checks out. She's on camera coming and going from the movie theater and the girlfriend and the girlfriend's parents confirm she was there for the rest of the night."

"Good to know; thanks Frost."

"That's not all… Korsak wants to talk to you. Hold on…"

"Jane, we've got a lead. Found out that John was about to lose his house, _and_ his car was scheduled to be repossessed this week if he didn't make a payment. Turns out records on his laptop showed he owed more than fifty grand in gambling debts."

"Sounds like fifty thousand reasons to break in and not think twice about killing a guy to me. Who was his bookie?"

"We think it's Jonathan Pryor, a.k.a. Johnny Cash. God! What an awful nickname. No creativity these days." Korsak gruffed into the phone.

"Yeah, no kidding. Alright. I'll be back in fifteen… then let's go have a talk with the _man in black_."

Jane hung up her phone and stood from the table. "I have to go, Maura."

Jane placed money on the table for her half of the check and left the doctor sitting there, agape at being brushed off so quickly before she could apologize to Jane for… for…

_Drat!_ _I don't even know what I said wrong._

* * *

><p>Korsak and Jane pulled up to an abandoned looking storefront.<p>

"This is the guy we're looking for?" Jane was holding a mug shot in her hand. Jonathan Pryor a.k.a. Johhny Cash was 5'7", had a stocky build, jet black hair, and looked like a pimp out of a bad movie with his track suit and thick gold necklace.

"Yep… and I think it's our lucky day, Jane. Look." Korsak pointed to a man walking toward the storefront that served as a shell company to nearly 200 overseas accounts. He was thoroughly enjoying his cannoli when he saw the dark, four-door sedan.

"Shit, he's running!" Jane jumped out of the vehicle while Korsak sped ahead to cut him off around the block.

"Boston PD! Stop!" Jane was fast. Real fast. Her long, slender legs and strong core could easily carry her through a marathon, and she knew it wouldn't be long before she caught up with Johnny.

"I said stop, Pryor!" Jane's voice matched her mother's shrill when she was in pursuit of a perp. She hated that.

For his extra weight, Jonathan Pryor could scale a fence. As well as knock over trash cans and anything else that he thought would slow up the pursuing officer.

After three fences and rounding a corner Johnny went crashing through a door on his right in the alley up ahead. She heard screaming from the startled residents and drew her gun. As she rounded the corner she saw Johnny holding a small child in front of him as a human shield. He couldn't have been more than seven years old.

Jane was breathing hard. _Fucking coward. _"Johnny, put him down. You don't want to make this worse for yourself that it already is."

"I am not going back to jail!"

Johnny was backing his way through the house looking for an exit making his way up a staircase. The child and his mother were screaming.

"Shut up! Everyone just shut the fuck up!" Johnny was looking as desperate as he sounded.

"Johnny, you're going to go to jail for a hell of a lot longer if you don't let that kid go and talk to me."

Johnny had backed his way into a small bedroom and kicked open a door out onto a veranda. "You want him? Fine. Here you go!"

Johnny threw the child at Jane, knocking her off of her feet, twisting her right ankle, and sending her down the flight of stairs she just climbed.

After quickly checking that the child was alright, she raced back up the stairs. Johnny had already scaled the fire escape ladder and was running again down another alleyway.

"Dammit, Pryor! You're going to pay for that one!" Jane made her way down the ladder and felt a sharp pain as her right foot hit the ground. She was sure it was broken.

"_Korsak! Where the hell are you?" _Jane was muttering to herself through the pain.

Jane was catching up though, and she could swear that she could hear Johnny huffing and puffing from ten feet behind.

"Johnny! This is your last chance. I'm telling you to stop!"

Johnny looked back over his shoulder to call out…

_Thwack_!

Jane didn't know a body could contort in the air like that. Johnny's body fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes after Korsak's cruiser clipped him as he ran out into the street.

Jane slowed to a jog, grabbing her sides as Korsak got out of the cruiser and handcuffed Johnny.

"I told you… that… was my last warning…" Jane said while battling for air.

"Man, Rizzoli. You're not getting old on me are you?" Korsak was laughing before reading his newly cuffed catch his rights.

"Korsak! Where the hell were you?"

"Catching the bad guy. Where were you?"

"Where was I? Oh you know; his cannolis looked so good so I decided to stop and eat one out of the box that he dropped. Sorry there was only one left or I would have brought you one too." She took a step forward, "You're such a smart… ow!"


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

Jane limped into the interrogation room with Frost.

She neatly lined up printed documents from John Wallace's laptop in front of Jonathan Pryor.

"What the hell is this?" Pryor looked over the print outs.

"John Wallace's records that indicate he owed you about fifty thousand dollars."

Jane led the interrogation. The fact that she was lead detective really meant all of the interrogations were hers, but this one was now personal due to the pain that Jane was feeling in her ankle from to chasing Pryor more than six city blocks and up and down a building.

"What of it?"

"Well…" Jane laid out the photos of John and Stephan from the crime scene. Two bodies with blood pooled around them. Pale and yet distinctly blue faces – eyes open, fixed on Pryor.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I didn't kill nobody."

"Isn't it funny how they always say that, Frost?"

"It is a trend I've noticed among all the murderers we've put away…" Frost was glaring at Pryor.

"I am _telling you_, I didn't kill John. Yes, the jackass owed me fifty large. All the more reason to keep him alive. I don't get paid if the people who owe me money end up six feet under the ground."

"True," Jane began, "but that doesn't mean you didn't take a little drive over to John's last Friday night to have a discussion about a payment plan. I know when a bill collector calls me I get all sorts of pissy. I wouldn't want one showing up at my house, talking to me in front of my son. Maybe John wouldn't let you in so you broke in; forced your way into the house, and when you find him you're just so damn pissed off that you shot him."

"No! I didn't kill nobody! There's a lot of stuff I would do, but I would never kill anyone."

Pryor's pleading sounded pathetic.

"Listen. Yes, I drove over there Friday night. John has owed me a lot of money for a long time and I was tired of waiting for payments. I was going to scare him, maybe… _maybe_ rough him up a bit. But when I got there, it was already done. I took one look through the front window, saw the kid dead on the couch and got outta there. _I swear._"

"Well, that certainly is convenient. Your alibi is that you were there but didn't do it. Right. Sure. Listen, when you feel like telling me the truth we'll talk again. In the mean time we're holding you on resisting arrest, child endangerment, assault of a police officer, assault of a minor…" Jane was counting off the charges on her fingers.

"C'mon Frost." Jane banged on the door indicating that the officer waiting outside should come and collect the bookie.

"Wait. Wait!" Pryor seemed to be waging an internal battle – and losing. "If I tell you what I know… what I saw… will you drop the charges?"

Jane sat back down. "Alright, Jonathan. You tell me what I want to know and I promise the State of Massachusetts won't charge you with a thing."

"Alright, listen. When I was leaving I saw someone running from the property. A kid; maybe sixteen or seventeen years old. Male. He had a gun in his hand and he was… he was crying. I remember what he looks like and can describe him to a sketch artist."

"Alright, you give us the sketch and I'll release you. You _fuck_ with me and I'll be adding obstruction of justice to those charges."

After about an hour Detectives Rizzoli and Frost returned.

"This is the kid."

"Thank you for your assistance, Pryor. As promised, I'm releasing you."

Jane opened the door to the interrogation room and waiting on the other side were two FBI agents.

"Pryor, meet Agents King and White. I'm releasing you into their custody. Agent King, he's all yours."

"Wait a minute! You said you wouldn't be charging me with anything!" Pryor was backing himself into the back corner of the interrogation room.

"Did I say that Frost?"

"No, Detective Rizzoli, I don't think that you did." Frost was shaking his head.

"Hmm… no, I didn't. What I said was that the _State of Massachusetts_ wouldn't charge you with anything. And I'm keeping that promise." Jane was inching closer to Pryor; her face taught with anger, her voice low and husky. "However, the fraud and the money laundering are all _federal_ offenses. And the State of Massachusetts is more than happy to aid in a federal investigation. Have a good day, _Johnny._"

Agent King removed Johnny from the interrogation room.

The two detectives looked down at the sketch provided.

"Look familiar?" Frost asked.

"Yeah. Dammit. Alright, figure out where he lives. I'm gonna put this foot up for a few minutes before I may have to run on it again…"


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

"You really should have that looked at, Jane." Korsak was trying hard to make up for laughing at Jane earlier by showing true concern and a hint of remorse in his tone. He had not realized how hurt she had gotten while chasing Pryor. "I'll drive you if you want."

"That's about all you're good for Korsak… _driving_." Korsak took the hint and went back to the pile of paperwork on his desk.

"I've got an ace bandage in my car. I'm going to go down and grab it; tell Frost to meet me down there once he knows where we're going."

Jane winced every time she put her weight on the injured ankle. By the time she got off the basement elevator, she was moaning in pain with each step. It did not go unnoticed.

"Jane? Oh my, Jane? What happened? Are you alright?"

Maura rushed over to the detective.

"I'm fine, Maura. Just twisted my ankle. It just needs to be wrapped."

"Let me look at it. Can you make into the morgue?"

Maura had already brought Jane's right arm over her shoulders to support the detective while she hobbled to the M.E.'s office.

"Really, Maura. It's not that bad."

"Here; up on the table."

"Maura, you're not serious. It's just a twisted ankle; I really don't think I need to lie on the dead people table. I know it's killing me, but that _really is_ just a figure of speech."

"Don't be ridiculous. The table is clean and I want to take an x-ray of the talocrural joint to make sure nothing is broken." Maura pulled over the x-ray machine while she explained, "The talocrural joint, more commonly known as the ankle, is remarkably strong. It is bound by the deltoid ligament and three lateral ligaments: the anterior talofibular ligament, the posterior talofibular ligament, and the calcaneofibular ligament."

Maura gently touched Jane's ankle in each of the places where the ligaments lay and traced their anatomical path. It was sending goose bumps all over Jane's body.

"The joint is most stable in dorsiflexion while a sprained ankle is more likely to occur when the foot is plantar flexed. Sprains most frequently occur at the anterior talofibular ligament." She touched the spot yet again.

Jane was staring at Maura. She couldn't help it. Didn't Maura know that Jane was mad at her for saying those things earlier? And here she was spouting off about Jane's toga-fabulous joint or something like that…

"Oh, good. It's not broken. Just a sprain. It will hurt for a while and you should try to stay off of it for a couple of days."

"Umm… thank you?" Jane made a motion to get up.

Maura was quickly at the head of the table before Jane could do so and placed her hand on Jane's shoulder.

"Jane, I'm sorry."

"For what?" Jane was suddenly aware of the doctor's close proximity to her; over her.

"For what I said at the sandwich shop. For not apologizing sooner. For spouting off about your talofibular joint instead of just saying that I was sorry. I tend to ramble when I'm nervous and don't know what to say."

"It's okay…"

"No, it's not, Jane! I really am sorry. What I said earlier today was… insensitive. I can't imagine how hard your job is. I know I certainly couldn't do it. I can't read people like you. The fact is you sacrifice so much… emotionally… to do your job. You have to get close to people and keep your distance at the same time for the protection of all parties because your duty is to the victim; not anyone else."

Jane was staring at Maura in disbelief.

"Well, say something." Maura was looking at the floor.

"Maura," Jane rested her hand on top of Maura's that still rested on Jane's shoulder, "thank you. Thank you for the apology and for understanding what is probably the hardest part about my job. Really."

Jane held Maura's gaze for a long time.

"I still feel as though I need to make this up to you." Maura voice was soft yet filled with intent.

"Listen, how about you help me wrap my ankle and get to my car? I have a feeling this case is about to resolve itself. Afterward, maybe you'll give me a ride home? And if you really want to make it up to me, you can stay and have dinner with me. There's a Red Sox game on tonight and I really need to show you that baseball is more than just trigonometry."

Jane's smile warmed Maura through to her core.

Maura began delicately wrapping Jane's ankle with her own supplies. She could feel Jane staring at her intently while her hands worked carefully; long fingers curling the wrap over and under Jane's foot and ankle.

"Eh-hem. Jane? Are you ready?" Frost immediately felt uncomfortable for walking in on what appeared to be an intimate moment between the doctor and Jane.

"Huh? Oh yeah. Maura was just wrapping my ankle for me…" Jane looked sheepishly from Maura to Frost.

"Jane, I really don't think you should be putting any weight on that ankle…"

"I'll be okay; you did a great job. And if I hurt it again you can just throw me back up on the table… for another x-ray."

Frost coughed as he swallowed his gum. "You okay, there Frost."

"Yeah… yeah. I'm good. We should get going though; we've got about a 45 minute drive."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter Twelve**

The residence of Dr. and Mrs. Santana was brightly lit this summer evening, their sprinkler lazily misting their manicured lawn.

_Boom! Boom! Boom!_ Jane banged on the front door.

"Yes?" Mrs. Santana opened the door and looked quizzically at the officers in front of her.

"Hi ma'am. I'm Detective Rizzoli; this is Detective Frost with the Boston Police Department. We'd like to speak with Aadyn, please."

"Who's there dear?" Dr. Santana joined his wife's side.

"The police are here. They're looking for Aadyn."

"Aadyn's not here. He has wrestling practice after school and stays and works out for about an hour after that. He should be home soon though. Come in. May I ask as to what this is all about?"

"We're investigating the death of John and Stephan Wallace…"

"What a tragedy that was. Stephan was such a nice boy. Lemonade?" Mrs. Santana had reentered the living room with fresh lemonade wearing a newly donned half-apron over her dress. Jane was sure that Mrs. Santana was June Cleaver reincarnated.

"Yes. Thank you." Jane took the glass. "Umm… we'd like to know where Aadyn was the night of the break in."

"Why? Our Aadyn didn't have anything to do with that… wait. Why are you really here?" Dr. Santana stood back up from his wing back chair.

"Dr. Santana, do you still own a .38 caliber pistol?" Frost asked, cutting to the chase.

"I don't like what you're insinuating, Detective." Dr. Santana's voice was getting louder with each statement.

"I think that answers my question. We have a search warrant for the gun and I'd like to see it."

"I can't believe this. Aadyn wouldn't… he… fine. I'll show you. I keep the gun and ammunition locked up in my nightstand. Aadyn doesn't even know the combination."

The detectives followed Dr. Santana down the hall and into his bedroom. He retrieved the small lockbox, entered the combination and opened it.

"I don't…. I don't understand."

Jane took the lockbox and held it up to show Frost. "Empty."

* * *

><p>Within minutes Frost was driving with Jane to the high school. Her ankle was throbbing at this point and she was hoping that the adrenaline would soon take over so she could be at her best when confronting Aadyn Santana.<p>

The diminished number of vehicles in the parking lot made Aadyn's Prius stand out like a sore thumb.

Jane and Frost approached the gymnasium building.

"You ready?" Jane asked Frost. Both detectives reached for their guns and held them out at the ready.

"Yes."

Jane gently opened one of the double doors to the gym and poked her head inside. She saw no one.

"Let's go."

As soon as the detectives entered the gym all of the lights went out. Frost and Jane quickly reached for their flashlights and clicked them on.

"Aadyn? Aadyn… it's Detective Jane Rizzoli. I know you're in here… we just want to talk."

Aadyn's voice echoed off the walls, "Go away!" There was no way of knowing which direction the voice came from.

"I can't do that Aadyn. Come out. Let's talk. I want you to talk to me about Stephan."

"Don't you say his name! _Don't you dare!"_

Some weights tipped over in the corner and Jane saw a rubber sole out of the corner of her flashlight's beam running towards the back exit.

"He's running, Frost, go!"

Frost took off while Jane limped behind the best that she could. Just as she was about to exit something caught her eye to her left.

She whipped around, flashlight and gun pointed in the direction of the movement. "Aadyn?"

He was crouched down behind rolling carts of basketballs. "You don't understand… I didn't mean to… _Stephan_…" The pain in Aadyn's voice was palpable.

"I want to go home. I just want to go back home." Aadyn's eyes were flashing back and forth between Jane, the exit, and the gun resting in his hand.

"How long were you and Stephan dating?"

"What? No. No! I'm straight… I… I…" Aadyn was beginning to cry. He alternated which hand held the gun so he could rub each sweaty palm on his gym shorts.

Jane inched closer and closer to Aadyn. There was something else in his hand. Jane saw a narrow, four picture series of photos from one of those photo booths. As her flashlight ran over it, she could see Aadyn and Stephan were hugging and making silly faces in three, kissing in the fourth.

Aadyn placed his hand gently over the photos.

"I'm _not gay_. We never even had… It's just that Stephan… he… he… he was so beautiful, so fragile." Aadyn was crying. He started to rub the barrel of the gun against his forehead.

"He crept up on me. We were good friends for so long and it just happened. We were in the photo booth goofing around and then…" Aadyn traced the frame of the last photo.

"It's okay if you're gay, Aadyn…"

"I'M NOT GAY! _I AM NOT_. I wasn't raised that way. Stephan and I were friends… and… fell in love… but… forget it. You wouldn't understand."

"Educate me." Jane was hoping Frost had caught up with whoever ran off at this point, realized it wasn't Aadyn, and was doubling back.

"I never had feelings for a guy before. I always knew Stephan; saw him around campus. I didn't really get to know him before joining GSA. _And I only joined because I knew it would look good on my college resume_ so you can stop thinking I was fooling myself. Stephan was quiet but really funny. And he was smart. We first started hanging out because he was helping me with my English Lit homework.

Aadyn's tone and demeanor were shifting quickly between sounding manic and sounding as though he were having a conversation with a friend.

"We became good friends but kept it under the radar because Stephan's dad was such a jerk. If he thought I was gay Stephan would be in a hell of a lot of trouble."

"Aadyn… I need to know what you and Stephan talked about the night he died."

Aadyn was startled at the comment. "The night he…"

"I've seen the phone records, Aadyn. You spoke for approximately 10 minutes within hours of the break in and shooting."

Aadyn looked as if he was going to be ill. "No… no… no…" The desperation in Aadyn's voice was rising.

"Stephan called me because he and his dad had gotten into a fight. A bad one. John was threatening to throw Stephan out if he didn't quit the GSA. He was going to make Stephan enlist in military school…

"When he called I could hear his dad screaming through the phone. He was saying that he was going to teach him a lesson in being a man. I told Stephan to leave and come over to my house but he wouldn't. He kept saying that he had to deal with this, that he couldn't keep running from his father."

"Then what happened?" Jane was inching closer and closer to Aadyn, trying to put something solid between the two of them in case he turned the gun on her, but remain close enough to intervene in case he decided to use it on himself.

"Nothing. _Nothing!_ We hung up. I was so mad at Stephan for putting up with all of his dad's crap."

Aadyn looked as though he was going to hyperventilate.

"Aadyn, I know that gun you're holding was used in John and Stephan's murders…"

"No, no, no, no, no…" Aadyn was rocking his head between his hands.

"Aadyn, tell me what happened when you got off the phone that night."

"I was just so tired… so tired of him hurting Stephan. No one was doing anything…" Aadyn was hardly speaking coherently between sobs. "I loved him, don't you understand? I loved him so much…

"I wanted to scare John so I took my step-dad's … gun…. and… I went over to the house to get Stephan and bring him home… I was going to bring him home and tell my parents everything… they would have to see that we were meant to be together…

"I went over there and knocked on the door. Stephan let me in…

* * *

><p><em>What are you doing here, Aadyn? I told you not to come!<em>

_ Where is he Stephan? Where is he?_

_ Don't do this Aadyn…_

_ I won't let him hurt you anymore! This has got to stop… stay here._

Aadyn pushed past Stephan, leaving him pacing in the living room.

John heard his bedroom door open while he stood in the closet.

_What do you want you little faggot? Come in here to finally ask for forgiveness? You make me sick! Little twink… I'm going to enjoy beating the fairy out of you… trust me when I say this is going to hurt you more than me…_

John reached for a belt hanging in the closet, wrapped it between his fists and snapped it; reveling in the sound that meant pain was soon to follow.

When John turned around he saw Aadyn holding up the gun to John's forehead.

_I will not let you hurt Stephan anymore! Get… get on your knees. _

_What are you going to do? You're a faggot too, huh? You're not man enough to pull the trigger… when I'm done with Stephan I'm going to take that gun and shove…_

BANG!

John's body fell lifelessly to the floor. Aadyn slowly backed out of the bedroom and into the living room.

_Aadyn, what's going on? What the hell is that? Is that a gun?_

Aadyn pulled his eyes away from the dead man that lay before him to look at Stephan, angry tears filling his eyes.

_Stephan, we have to go. We have to go now. Pack a bag, we're not coming back._

_ What did you do, Aadyn?_

Stephan pushed past Aadyn and saw his father, dead, in the closet.

_Oh my god! Oh my god! Daddy!_

Stephan returned to the living room.

_What the hell did you do? Why did you kill him? Oh my god, oh my god this isn't happening…Why would you kill my dad?_

_Stephan, you have to calm down. Don't you understand I did this for you? I did this for you. I love you. I didn't want him to hurt you anymore and he was going to…_

Before Aadyn could speak another word in his defense Stephan was grappling for the gun. The two boys wrestled for it.

_Stop Stephan, you're going to get hurt…_

BANG!

Stephan slumped down over the couch.

_No! No! No! Stephan, baby…. Oh my god. Stephan. No, don't leave me! Baby… Stephan…. You're all I have! _

* * *

><p>"I broke the glass in the back door and stole some stuff to make it look like a break-in." Aadyn placed the barrel of the gun to his temple.<p>

"I can't live without him… I miss him so much. I need to see him again… to tell him… to tell him I'm so sorry…"

"Aadyn, no!"

Before Jane could leap on top of the teenager, Frost had crept up behind him and wrestled the gun out of his hand.

Aadyn fell into the fetal position on the floor.

"No! Let me… I want to die! I loved him! I loved him so much and now he's gone! And it's all my fault. I just wanted to protect him! Please… _please_ let me die!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter Thirteen**

Jane was lying on her couch with her injured ankle resting in Maura's lap.

The car ride back to Jane's had been somber and quiet. Maura was starting to worry that Jane had changed her mind about her coming over for dinner when Jane had asked if Chinese take-out was okay.

Now they sat, in near silence, picking at their vegetable lo mein with their chopsticks.

"Jane?"

"Hmm?" Jane barely looked up from her plate.

"Do you want to talk about it?" Maura gave Jane's leg a reassuring rub.

"This one hit me hard Maura… Usually solving a case is an exhilarating time for me. … always a reason to go to the Dirty Robber and grab a beer and celebrate. But this one's different. Aadyn was so confused, and I really believe he was trying to defend Stephan."

"Things are much less clear when we're teenagers, Jane. Emotions run high due to an overabundance of hormones, and thinking isn't clear as the frontal lobe hasn't fully developed yet."

"Yeah… maybe…" Jane appeared dissatisfied with Maura's reassurances. "It's just that… I know what it's like to want to defend people who are being hurt; throw on top of that defending someone you love and it's bound to get ugly."

"What's going to happen to Aadyn?"

"I talked to a friend in the district attorney's office. Based on the statements about long suspected abuse along with your report of injuries and the fact that Stephan called Aadyn the night of the shootings they're going to reduce the charge to murder two for John and manslaughter for Stephan. They're also going to try to keep it in the juvenile courts and not try him as an adult."

"That was very kind of you Jane."

"All too little too late if you ask me. I still don't know why John hadn't been investigated earlier for abuse… ugh… I just can't shake off what Stephan and Kaye and Aadyn have all gone through in regards to who they love. It's all so senseless. I hope that Aadyn gets the help he needs to process all of this. He's going to be broken for a long time. People should be allowed to love whomever they want and the rest can go fuck themselves."

The last statement sounded to Maura like Jane was trying to convince herself of that fact more than it was for Maura's benefit.

"I couldn't agree with you more, Jane. What can I do? I want to help you feel better."

"This is perfect, Maura. Thank you. I just really need someone to be here with me right now… I feel… I don't know… I'm just not used to this sort of thing getting under my skin so much. But, it's always harder with kids, and then when you relate to them…"

Jane instantly felt as though she said too much. Maura gave her a long meaningful look.

"I know what you mean, Jane. We do everything we can to make it so we don't live by some stereotype that we end up pushing away who we really are. I mean, look at you. You're an accomplished woman in a male-dominated field. You've probably been called every name in the book but you don't let that stop you from being you. Right?"

Jane shifted uncomfortably. "Um… right. Listen, I really appreciate you listening and talking to me about all of this. How about we shelve it for now though so we can watch the game and relax a bit?"

"Sure." Maura settled back into the couch and brought Jane's other leg on top of her lap.

"Jane."

"Yeah, Maura?"

"You do realize that if that gentleman would just choke up on the bat three-quarters of an inch and straighten his back by 20 degrees, his hitting percentage would increase by approximately 18%?"


	14. Author's Note

Author's Note:

Thank you so much for all of the reviews! I'm warm and fuzzy all over! Really! =)

For those of you who have asked, yes, I am working on a second installment for our lovely detective and doctor. I hope to have it up within the next week or two.

Keep those reviews coming! I really appreciate the feedback and as a new author I'm sure there is much for me to learn and skills to hone. I'll make sure to keep your comments in mind. Also, I'm still getting used to how to upload chapters. As such, I'll try to have my next installment be a bit easier to read.

THANK YOU AGAIN!


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